It
wasn't before long he had reached Zenaughtus Keep it wasn't easy but it
wasn't hard neither being the tactician, Ignis had taught Noct how to
be stealthy though he usually blew his cover whily warping. His head
swam, too many thoughts racing around in his head. The chancellor…or the
emperor, he supposed, shuddering in slight horror, He couldn't help but
think about the dragoon. He had been angry but he'd had plenty of Time
alone and He knew she was just being played as much as They all were.

Ardyn
had always been someone who made his spine tingle to some degree but
either way sometimes he had to respect the guy however he had taken
something of his now and Not just Aranes but she carried something of
his and ego to push forward had never been so strong. However the blind
male didn't seem to be so detatched from being disbanded from the
boyband he was some what furfilling his own duty now, And THIS was
important to him.

The tactician is filled with some fear atleast
he wasn't lying his chest rose and Fell, He had never been inside the
empire and godd only imagined what went off in a place like this from
the Empire stealing Insomnian babies for testing and making them into
those thing's the occasional piece of garment he would see during his
walking along the corridors he headed onwards pacing himself all the
time. His courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.

The
man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.
He can hear his own footfalls the corridors fall's into a Lapse of
Silence though it's brief, Ignis suddenly ponders to himself wether
Ardyn has delibritely made this easy for him to enter, Otherwise he
imagined their would be too much security all this seemed so much easier
and he knew it was just a puzzle if he knew the jester well Ignis was
playing all into Ardyns hand's so easily, Yet his sight was his
disadvantage and the Chancellor knew of this but Ignis's emotions were
only running more tenser and thus he continued to push onward ascending
up the floors.. He could hear the Chancellor's ever taunting voice, and
thus he spoke back .. still continuing through the path of the puzzles
and doors, going back on himself back and forth.

"I have
accepted fear as part of life Jester, Specifically the fear of change...
I have gone ahead despite the pounding in the heart that says: turn
back...."

Her emerald, hues, would flash open, as she blinked a bit, taking in her surroundings. She remembered, being on the air ship, and, must of passed out, at some point, due to exhaustion. Her hands, were chained, to metal handcuffs, that were tightly, connected to the wall, her, legs as well. Her dress, was torn, in several places. What the hell happened to her? She, knew, by the dim lighting, she was in the Zamatsu Keep, the Prison, of the Empire.

The, copper, metallic smell, would fill her nostrils, as the realization came to her, her lips, were swollen, with small bruises, forming, a bit, of blood, trickling down her chin. Which must of been recent. Did she black out, due to exhaustion, or was she being abused, and tortured? Fear, tingled down upon her spine, as she continued to stare around, expecting the Chancellor, to suddenly appear. This seemed, to be of his doing, which wouldn't surprise the dragoon. This, indeed, was the torture chamber, she found herself within, well, one of the three dungeons.

Her arms, were littered, with bruises, and cuts, as well. Surprising, her stomach, wasn't littered, with any sort of damage, that she could tell. Although, the signs of being injected with something, was noticeable on, her right wrists. By the Astral's above, what was going on? What about her baby? Fear, was washing over her, and she had to force herself to remain calm, and continue assessing herself. Her heart pounded heavily within her chest, as her eyes, continued to scan the room, the light flickering above her head.

Falling
into Enemy lines and hands was not on Ignis' list of things to do.
However fat seems to despise him in this moment of time his auds
listened to the slimy voice over the tanoy over the corridors this place
was like a maze and everything was so dull though and he could
occasionally hear the mechanics of the MTI's which walked on by dragging
their acts. It gave ignis the chills really.

With blurry vision
he hadn't been used to the corridors or anything around here but he
listened to the voice over in a hopes that Ardyn would at least give
anything away in his tone of voice to find aranea or arleast try to find
some fault in his voice to find her though even ignis knew his
potential and Aryden would not crumble at the slightlest he had been
toying with the king and his guard since they first started out on this
whole trip. and Ignis was on edge even now.

The man knew was he
was capable of and he was listening to every word he was saying, though
ignis knew that aranea wasn't a fool when it came down to things and
even though, He would accept if she had to go to lengths to get herself
out of the situation she was in now, The man simply looked his hands now
firmly gripped on a railing before he stumbled slightly his knee's
hitting the stars slightly. "Humph.." he moved stairs, he was on the stairs, so he Assumed the jester were higher.

"Hm.. Enough with you're taunt's"

His
voice was sharp and determined but thats not the say that Ignis feared
him afterall he had gone through some drastic experiance caused by the
man himself. and he had been powerless to stop it however he looked up
once more the tips of his shoes catched the edge of the metal steps to
the empire atleast he hoped the MTI could not climb these stairs or that
he had been followed he would soon reach another corridor. Ardyn had
gone quiet but in a way ignis was waiting for his next task for his
guidence to either be right or againWRONG.

Blinking, a bit, as her vision, came to, she remembered, killing multiple, soldiers, and such, in her wake. But, soon, she realized, she was strapped, to a chair, handcuffed, in the middle of the room. Her blood, would boil over, as she searched around, until she saw a figure, emerge from the darkness. Shuddering, as she felt, the simple touches, of the feathers, against her bare shoulders. That voice, she knew it, very well. It was the Devil, himself, Ardyn, in the flesh. Narrowing, her green, optics, her mouth, curled into a tight, frown. Yet, she was too exhausted, to continue this charade, of his, but, she would indulge the man, he was beyond, a lunatic, a slimy, powerful lunatic.

"Why, yes, this place, is quite familiar, I've been here, numerous times, doing the dirty work, for the Empire." "So, fondly nicknamed, the Empire's bitch." Her tone, was low, and lethal sounding, with a threat, poised all in one. "And, a enemy, to the Empire, is quite the compliment, coming, from, you, of all people." She would spit out the last word, growling, lightly to him. "Don't you already have the Prince?" "What are your intentions with me, my child, and my Fiancee?" Beads, of sweat, clung to her, like a second skin, as she felt, droplets of blood, oozing down the side of her face. These bastards, were never gentle. The, sick, copper scent filled her nostrils, causing her, to gag a bit.

If this man, had all his pieces on this chest board, and dangerous game, he loved to play, why did he feel the need, to continue to taunt and torture them? That made no sense to her. Knowing she was quite skilled, she felt around, the metal cuffing her hands, taking note, they were magic blocking, as well. Preventing, the Glacian, to appear, to her, as she had blessed her, and her child. But, with Ardyn, around, it would take more then that, to keep anyone safe, to be honest. After all, not even they could kill this man. He, was truly immortal, and that was scary. Hell, he even killed the Glacian's, giant, body form. The empire, was capable of such, evil things, many evil things. The Dragoon, was upset, that she allowed herself to remain apart of this, evil situation, for far too long. It was easy, to bribe her, in the past, with gil. But, something within her changed, when she noticed the slimy Chancellor, getting away with, everything. She even, remembered telling Ignis, and the Prince, to keep their guards up, Darkness, true Darkness, was upon them. Shivering, a bit, she bit her bottom lip, trying to calm, herself.

Her, blood, was boiling at this point, so, was the anger, her fingers, tensing, she could choke that man, if she could, only free her hands, but it wouldn't do any good. Gritting her teeth, she would glare down to the floor, careful, not to make direct eye contact, with this sleaze, of a man. He could of easily killed her, but it would be safe, to assume, he wanted something from her, or just simply to continue torturing her. Ah...yes, the bitter taste of betrayal, was upon her tongue. She, was another pawn, used on the chess board, like everyone else, and it was truly unsettling, how she allowed herself to become apart of this twisted, sick game.

Spitting on the floor, slowly, her emerald orbs, glanced to his, narrowing a bit. "You would know, I'm all fire, and I like to burn wild, and set fire, to everything, I touch." "But you already knew that, that's why you hired me, and like a fool, I did everything for the gil." Aranea, was more, pissed at herself, for that, then anything, and this, man, being the creepiest one, she came across, who got under her skin, in the worst of ways. That's why, at some point, she had become sexually aroused, by this unholy man, she was like a moth, to flame, lured, in by the dangers. Even now, she shuddered, mentally cursing herself, for such a response.

" I already know I can't kill you, believe me, I wasn't stupid enough to try to do that, if it's out of my means." "As for, playing into your trap, we made a deal, love, didn't we?" "You get me, you leave the others alone, until the Prince comes back, from his beauty sleep." Dryly, she chuckled to herself, Gods, she was a foolish, woman. As, she felt his finger tips upon her flesh, she pulled away, yanking away, from him, as hard as she could, within her restraints. To the point, she almost tipped over, in her chair.

Her, belly would start, to move, slightly, at the mention, of not harming her baby. Her eyes, would widen a bit, as she groaned. Eden, didn't need to be kicking her, at a time like this, a dangerous time, like this. How cruel, to taunt, a man, he most likely wounded. Had he, no honor? Or, was everything tainted, in his corrupt world? Aranea, would bet the latter, on that one. "I don't expect you to tell me anything at this point, you bastard." Truth, be told, she was feeling rather nauseated in his presence. "But, what exactly, do you intend to do to me?" "Rape me?" She scoffed a bit, lowering her head, as a dull ache was forming in the back of her head.

Aud's refocusing on the task at hand; magitek weaponry isn’t as easy to disarm &destroy when it’s just Himself. "Shut up.."he ventures, vision narrowing under his darkened spectacles his other
senses alert to the approaching troopers, eyes would be glinting red
like those of daemons themselves. That's if he could see of course. His
breath is held as he beats their advance, legs moving before mind thinks
to, drawing of his daggers cutting their numbers piece by piece as
their screeches echo unpleasantly with almost deafening gusto.

"Non the worse for wear."
Ignis's deep voice rings out if thats all his got, But he doesnt put it
past him that that is all Ardyn has to thrw at him and alas he does not
even take a chance at following his directions because he is full of
puzzles himself and he cannot afford to slip up with the fact that
aranea and thus child is captive. relief
is exhaled as His enemies are fewer, the more massive of their forces
already rotting away where His blades had decimated them.

"There is no need to be so concerned Darling.."
His voice perked up a little in a hopes that his beloved would be able
to hear him Ignis could handle himself pretty finely and he wasn't going
to let a Ardyn slip him up not now.a softened sigh exited the strategist’s placid lips as his digits corrected his glasses. Darkness is beginning to succumb, he could feel it..

Her, eyes widened, as she struggled further, within her shackles. That bastard! This...this, was so wrong on so many levels! Now, he was appearing as her, how she hated his, sickening games. Her, pale face, would burn, a dark crimson shade, as anger, swept through her, silently, causing her shoulders to ache in absolute tension. It would of been foolish, to think, he wouldn't stoop so low. Gods, she prayed, that Ignis, didn't fall for his charade. As, the fabric was tightened around her mouth, she groaned, inward, cutting her eyes, at Ardyn. The Dragoon, was livid, and was hoping he would die, slowly, and painfully. Nausea would surface, as, the bile taste, build up within the back of her throat. Aranea, could vomit, just about now, her heart, sinking inside of her chest.

What did this mad man, intend to do, with Ignis? She shuddered, at the thoughts, that ran through her mind, ever so vivid, and graphic. Was he going to kill him? What would happen to her, and her child? Fear, was burning within her veins. It wasn't often, she felt the sting, of fear, but, Arydn, was to be feared, with his slimy, ways. A cunning, foe, indeed, and one, no one should ever should cross paths with.